Independent Operators Join Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2025 to Discuss Frontier Drilling, Onshore Prospects

Angola witnessed a surge in Merger&Acquisitions in recent months, as independent oil and gas companies strengthened their presence across the market. As the country prepares to launch its next licensing round in 2025 and continues promoting acreage available through its permanent offer scheme, this positive momentum is expected to continue. Leading independent oil and gas companies have joined the Angola Oil&Gas (AOG) conference to discuss investment strategies and upcoming projects.  

John Hamilton, CEO of Panoro Energy, is speaking at AOG 2025 – taking place September 3-4. The company has seen significant success in regional offshore markets, reporting steady production growth in Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Tunisia this year. In 2025, Panoro Energy also made an offshore oil discovery at the Dussafu block in Gabon. The well contains up to 25 million barrels of recoverable resources and is set to support future production growth at the site. While the company does not have a presence in Angola as of yet, the country offers a wealth of block and partnership opportunities for Panoro Energy, particularly in offshore acreage where the company has extensive expertise.  

Onshore, companies such as ReconAfrica are making a play for frontier discoveries. The company signed an agreement with Angola’s upstream regulator – the National Oil, Gas&Biofuels Agency – in April 2025 to explore 5.2 million acres in the Etosha-Okavango basin. Signaling ReconAfrica’s entrance into Angola, the deal lays the foundation for a series of exploration activities over the next 24 months. ReconAfrica is also exploring in Namibia, where it has a license covering 6.3 million acres. During AOG 2025, Brian Reinsborough, CEO of ReconAfrica, is expected to shed light into the company’s ongoing exploration activities.  

Robert Bose, CEO of, Sintana Energy, and Scott Gilbert, CEO of Corcel, are also expected to share insight into onshore exploration in Angola. With a majority interest in Block KON 16 – situated in the onshore Kwanza basin in Angola – Corcel has been working to advance exploration at the block. The company signed two agreements to this affect in 2025, increasing its share in KON 16 to 71.5%. The first agreement was signed with Intank Global DMCC for a 30% stake in the block. The second deal was signed with Sintana Energy in May 2025 for a 5% indirect interest. The transaction seeks to boost exploration activities at the block by mobilizing additional capital for exploration activities planned in 2026. The companies also signed an agreement to evaluate and pursue other exploration and production opportunities in Angola. The partners committed to collaborating on the identification and review of new opportunities.  

Meanwhile, George Toriola, Chief Strategy Officer at FIRST E&P, is also speaking at AOG 2025. While the company is not yet active in Angola, FIRST E&P has proven industry experience through its strong portfolio of producing assets in Nigeria. The company is exploring regional growth opportunities, seeking to leverage its experience in Nigeria’s onshore and shallow water blocks to unlock additional production opportunities across sub-Saharan Africa. For Angola, which offers a wealth of onshore and shallow water opportunities, this experience stands to support the country’s production goals while creating new opportunities for regional collaboration and trade.  

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.